Citronella Grass Plantation and the Mount Leuser National Park Deforestation: An Emerging Case in the Gayo Lues Regency, Aceh-Indonesia

This study reports the impacts of citronella grass plantation on the Mount Leuser National Park sustainability that was located in the district region of Putri Betung at the Gayo Lues regency, Aceh–Indonesia. The district of Putri Betung consists of thirteen villages with a total area of about 99,686.09 ha. Data collection was carried out through direct observation and an FGD (forum group discussion) with local government officers. The obtained data was analyzed using a qualitative approach. The massive citronella grass plantation by the local people around the National Park region had caused severely deforestation which led to an environmental destruction. It was mostly due to illegal logging activity by the farmer for the firewood needs in the obtaining of citronella oil. It consequently caused water resources depletion, erosion and flooding, and natural diversity destruction. Data from 2020-2021 showed that 3.92% deforestation had occurred in the National Park with the worst damage area was located in Ramung Musara village, and this number would expectedly increase in the next years. Therefore, it is necessary to construct properly efforts by the government and local people to mitigate this issue to prevent a larger environmental destructions in the Mount Leuser National Park.